


Sun Rises

by ninian



Category: Castlevania (Cartoon), 悪魔城ドラキュラ | Castlevania Series
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alucard Whump, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Near Death Experiences, Romantic Fluff, What-If
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-28
Updated: 2018-11-28
Packaged: 2019-09-01 13:25:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,968
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16766017
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ninian/pseuds/ninian
Summary: The castle that once belonged to Dracula receives a guest, 300 years later.





	Sun Rises

**Author's Note:**

> me, furiously writing this after s2: I'M FIXING THINGS
> 
> started this after s2 aired so it's been sitting in my drafts for a little bit. was surprised when alucard decided not to take his lil nap so i did some brainstorming. pretty much richter and alucard meet during rondo time. alucard needs happiness after being left behind. EVERYTHING IS FINE.
> 
> few quick notes  
> -juste is richter's father here. if konami can mess with their own canon i can too  
> -annette and richter are just childhood friends and not dating. it's mlm and wlw solidarity
> 
> probably everyone's ooc here but who cares.

Guests were an oddity in this castle.

The only time Alucard had ever gotten guests was when there was a Belmont bothering him and even then, they had become scarce in later years due to them orally giving the knowledge they had learned to the younger hunters.

So, when he feels the presence of another lingering in the castle, Alucard stands up from the chair he had often slept in and took to investigating. Whether it was a Belmont or someone trying to grave rob him ( which always ends in failure ), he would deal with it. His boots click along the flooring of the castle, down the stairs and onto the balcony that stands right before the large doors.

He finds his answer standing in the main entrance in the form of a young man, looking around the castle with wide, curious eyes.

It’s not a grave robber. It’s a Belmont - he can smell the blood of a vampire hunter. The whip at his side is a good indicator, too.

Alucard doesn’t make his appearance known quite yet, making a note of the young man that stands before him. Short, brown hair, bangs sweeping in from of his eyes just barely. He’s dressed a little too nicely, especially for a Belmont.

He needs to stop comparing every Belmont that walks in here to Trevor. It won’t do him any good.

The dhampir clears his throat, causing the young man to whirl around to face him. Gold eyes peer into blue ones - blue that’s as deep as the ocean - as a hand lays on the railing of the second floor.

“Is killing vampires and barging into castles unannounced the _only_ thing your family knows how to do?”

“I...” The man seems distracted for a moment, almost as if he’s lost in Alucard’s gaze. He shakes his head a little, rubbing the back of it with his hand. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to… I guess I should have sent a letter or something.” He looks down sheepishly, before clearing his throat as well and standing tall.

“My name is Richter Belmont,” he boasts with confidence, “son of Juste Belmont. I wish to learn more. No, I _need_ to learn more. I was told you had the knowledge I was seeking for.”

 _Learn more_. That meant he wants access to the hidden hold beneath where Trevor’s old childhood home had laid. Again, it’s _hardly_ the first time a Belmont wanted access to it, but in recent years it had been quite scarce to see a Belmont lingering around. They had passed down the knowledge that they knew orally - a trait given to them by the Speakers, no doubt.

“I thought the Belmonts had everything they knew under their sleeves? The last I heard, they had little need for the knowledge that sits below this place.” Alucard’s gaze shifts away for a mere moment, before returning to the blue-eyed man. At that, Richter side and crossed his arms.

“Apparently I ask too many questions that my father knows naught to answer to,” explains the young hunter, “so he told me to come here and that I’ll probably be able to find the shit I’m looking for, and then kicked me out for the day. Turns out parents don’t know everything and respecting my elders because they knew more than me was just a lie. Who knew.”

The sarcasm on Richter’s tongue is enough to make the blonde-haired male chuckle, the sound echoing off the walls. At that, the hunter looks a lot less tense, in expression and posture. He relaxes his shoulders, mischievously smiling. Alucard starts to step down the stairs, his fingers sliding along the railing of it. He approaches Richter, standing only a few inches taller than the man.

“I suppose I can take some time out of my day and help you out,” chuckles Alucard. “Your ancestors better be thankful I’m such a kind person.”

He gestures outside, gently leading the vampire hunter to where the hold was. The ‘door of death’, as Alucard likes to call it, had been destroyed, and Sypha had placed a new bounding spell over it when she and Trevor came back here for a visit - one that didn’t mean death, as advised by the dhampir himself.

“My name is Alucard. Let’s hope you don’t make me regret making your acquaintances, Belmont.”

The two walk out of the cold darkness of the castle and into the warm sunlight of the world before them.

* * *

Richter spends a lot of his time around Alucard.

Though, in reality, it’s the other way around.

It’s not something the dhampir would choose to do, but considering Richter was now his responsibility, he should keep a check on him, surveillance him and make sure he wasn’t breaking anything. He remembers a few times when Trevor and Sypha came back here to get things, Trevor had broken at least two chairs over his knee, because Sypha had unlocked more magic that was thought to be lost to time and the vampire hunter was _really_ fond of his wife and broke them out of excitement.

Alucard hopes that Richter isn’t the same. Or at the very least, had a little more class.

For the next few days, Alucard lingers around Richter. He lingers along the shelves, when Richter pulls out a book and blows the dust off it. He lingers along the back, where Richter stops in front of the chest where the Morning Star lays but moves past it after a few minutes. He lingers along, like a ghost chasing after someone.

But Alucard always keeps his distance. He never says anything to him, aside from a small greeting when they first see each other. He tries not to get to close to him, in presence and attachment.

( He can’t allow himself to do so. The last thing he needs is to get attached to another one. )

It’s been a week since Richter had started coming here. Yet, it feels as though it’s been a lifetime.

The Belmont male currently sits at one of the tables, idly flipping through one of the books with a furrowed brow. Along the table were open books - books that were, more than likely, helping him translate the old tongue of humanity. He drowned himself in the knowledge of the Belmont clan, everything that would have been passed down in a manor full of them, had they not been excommuned and killed.

As for Alucard, he once again lingers near Richter, pulling a book from the shelf, pretending as though he was reading and not watching over the male. His gaze glances towards Richter, lingering a little longer than normal. The vampire hunter lifts his head up from the book, though he doesn’t turn around to look at Alucard.

“You know, you can sit here too.” Richter says with a hand wave. “No offense, Alucard, but I keep feeling your eyes on me and it’s starting to get _a little_ creepy.”

The blonde-haired male looks up from the book he really wasn’t reading, gold eyes blinking in quick shock. His expression settles back onto its neutral gaze after a second.

“Creatures of the night tend to be a little such,” answers Alucard as he put the book back on the shelf. He hesitates but, in the end, Alucard draws himself closer, standing next to Richter as he peered down at the book. “I couldn’t help but notice you’ve been a little frustrated over this past week. Do you not enjoy reading?”

“It’s not that. I mean, I enjoy fighting more, yes, but I wouldn’t say no to a good book.” Richter sighs and leans his back against the wooden chair. “Translating is just hard for me. I’m not well versed in the tongue like my ancestors were.”

Of course. After the Belmonts stopped visiting, they probably lost the ability to speak the original language of mankind. _Poor Sypha_ , Alucard thinks to himself, _all her work, quite literally down a shitpipe_.

Ha, that would be something Trevor would say. Alucard feels a small smile tugging at the edge of his lips. He quickly fights it off, however and after a mere moment of hesitation, he finds himself sitting down next to Richter.

“Would you like some assistance?”

Richter throws his hands in the air. “ _Finally_! I’ve been waiting for you to ask me that all week!”

“You could have just asked me, Belmont.” The sight before him makes Alucard chuckle a little. Richter looks over at him, giving him an annoyed look.

“You burned your eyes into me,” retorts the hunter. “I figured you would have noticed I was struggling more than a baby deer trying to walk.”

“Yes, yes - my creepy gaze, following you all around.” The dhampir waves him off, though the tiny smile never seems to fade from his face.

He really can’t remember the last time he actually smiled. The Belmonts after Trevor had always seen Alucard as some mythical being. Maybe he was, in a sense. They called him _‘The Sleeping Soldier’_ and made an entire myth about him. Yet, here Richter was, treating him as though he was a normal person.

Like Alucard was a mortal man.

He tries not to think about it, the smile fading from his face as he leans in, his shoulder brushing against Richter’s. He doesn’t notice Richter slightly flinching in surprise, or the redness on his cheeks.

“Now, let’s see where you left off at…”

* * *

“Alright, huge and very important question.”

“Yes, Belmont?”

“What’s the deal with the books that are just pages of dicks in them?”

Alucard has to hide the smile that was forming on his face with the book that’s in his hand. He can’t stop himself from laughing, however, and his reaction only makes Richter lean a little closer with a curious brow raise.

“We never did figure that out,” answers the dhampir as he flips through a page of the book in his hand. “Sypha never told me, aside from the fact it was spells related to it at the least. I’m sure there’s a reason for it.”

“Oh, it’s the perfect coverup.” Richter rolls his eyes playfully. “It’s fine if you don’t want to tell me, but I have a good guess about it. There’s only a few reasons why a collection of dicks would be kept in a library, and I’m _pretty sure_ it’s _not_ used for spells and magic.”

Alucard’s body shakes from him chuckling, and the hunter laughs along with him before they both go back to reading the books from the pile around them.

The two had taken a spot against one of the book shelves, shoulder to shoulder in an unusual closeness. It’s strange to think that Alucard had allowed himself to grow closer to this Belmont. He wasn’t sure what to think of it. He was conflicted at the matter, of course. He tells himself every time that he wouldn’t get close to them like this. It was easy to do, because most of them had no real interest in Alucard himself. They didn’t want to get to know him.

But Richter does, he looks interested in whenever he speaks, and Alucard finds himself in a very dangerous situation. The shell that Alucard had created was slowly chipping away.

“You...grew up in the castle above us, right?”

The dhampir looks over at Richter, who gazes back at him. He looks away slightly, his gaze cast downwards at the ink on the pages.

“Yes,” answers Alucard after a few minutes of silence. “I traveled between the castle and my mother’s own home, but for most of my life I lived in the castle.”

It’s painful to think about, even 300 years later. He could never bring himself to go inside of his childhood room, not after what had happened. The memories always come back all at once, and he could never take it. So, Alucard avoids it. He avoids it like he avoided the name his mother and father gave him. He avoided it, because it’s the only thing he’s good at.

He’s a coward, he thinks. He’ll always be one.

“I’m sorry.”

Richter’s voice breaks him away from his thoughts. Alucard looks up at him, blinking in confusion.

“What are you apologizing for?”

“You looked like you were in pain just now,” whispers the vampire hunter, fiddling with his fingers. “I just… I don’t know, I want to get to know you more. But I should remember that you probably have some memories that could be painful for you to think of, after all these years.”

Had it been another time, perhaps Alucard would have stood up and told him off for pitying him. But he knows Richter isn’t pitying him, at least in a malicious way. From the way Richter looks, the way his blue-eyed gaze cast downwards and how much he finds himself fascinated with his own hands, as if he’s avoiding something that’s also chasing him in his memories, he can’t help but wonder if Richter knows what it’s like to lose something.

He wonders, about the Belmont that sits next to him.

“You do not need to apologize, Belmont.” The dhampir gently brushes his shoulder against his. “I thank you for thinking of my feelings, though. It doesn’t happen often.”

( Even Trevor had not shown much sympathy towards Alucard, after they had killed Dracula. )

“That’s what friends do, right?” Richter looks up at him with a smile.

His words make Alucard pause slightly. _Friends_. Such a foreign word, now. Oh, but maybe that was a little too dramatic. It had been a long time since he considered someone a friend. He swallows a little, feeling his heart swell just a little. He really is in a dangerous situation. He’s not sure if he can turn back now.

“Don’t become _too_ friendly with me, Belmont.” Alucard chuckles as he closes his eyes. “I may not feel the same way.”

“Man, would it kill you to say something nice? Here I am, offering my heart and soul to you, and what do I get? Sass from a dhampir.” Richter groans a little, though Alucard can see the playful smile on his face when he opens one eye.

“Perhaps.” Alucard closes the book in his hand and picks up another one. “In due time, however, maybe I can see you as such. Don’t get your hopes up, however.”

Richter smiles wide as him, clearly a little too enthusiastic at the idea, gently nudging his shoulder against his playfully. Alucard can’t help but return both the smile and gesture, as they settle back into their reading. A comfortable silence passes between them, until Richter decides to break the silence once again.

“Is it true that Trevor broke two chairs because he was really proud of Sypha?”

The dhampir once again laughs, a fond smile on his face at the memory.

“Love makes people do questionable things, Belmont.”

* * *

“So, this is Dracula’s library?”

“Yes, it holds all of the world’s knowledge.” Alucard says as he steps in with Richter. “Your family has thumbed through the contents from time to time. It has allowed them to become more empathetic to the world around them.”

“I’m _sure_ the church would love to hear the Belmonts gaining knowledge that surpasses what they know,” mumbled Richter as he runs his fingers along the shelves of books. “I can already hear them condemning us to Hell - again.”

“That is why it’s safely kept here.” The dhampir watches as Richter looks around the place, with awe and wonder in his eyes. The vampire hunter picks up a book, idly thumbing through it for a mere moment before glancing back at Alucard.

“It’s remarkable,” whispers Richter. “A shame that Dracula ended up the way he was; he could have helped the world.”

Alucard pauses a little, gazing downwards. “My father’s grief consumed him. His tolerance for humanity had been devoured into complete hatred. My mother knew this could happen, I believed. ‘Tis why she encouraged him to travel.”

Like men do.

It was to learn about them, sympathize with their plight. If Dracula could _learn_ how to be a man, to _love_ as a man, then he could _grieve_ as a man. Even so, he was still devoured by hatred and darkness, only realizing his mistakes by the end of it. Sometimes, Alucard wonders if the same would have happened to him, had he not heard Lisa’s dying words. Would he be like his father? Would he possibly lose himself, and everything he was before then?

He tries not to think about it. He’s _afraid_ to think about it.

“I can’t say I don’t understand.”

The dhampir looks at him curiously. The expression on Richter’s face was the same melancholy look he had on his face when the two talked about Alucard’s childhood. The blonde finds himself unable to ask, the words caught in his throat, but Richter takes his silence as such to continue onward.

“My own mother was killed when I was fifteen.”

“By vampires?”

“By humans.” The hunter looks over at Alucard. “Trevor may have defeated Dracula the first time and Simon may have be hailed as the hero that united us with the people, but there are always going to be those who hate the Belmonts. The church will always have people on the inside who are corrupt and can spread their influence somewhere. My mother was caught in that wave of hatred.”

Richter places the book back on the shelf, leaning against it as he fiddled around with his fingers once more. Alucard makes note of that every time he does it - it’s a nervous tick, he figures. He does it when he feels nervous.

“My father grieved for a long time. He may have not caused destruction on people, but he certainly caused destruction on himself.” Richter continues, looking up. “Every mission he went on, I wondered if he would ever come back. I felt like he took on these missions, in hope that something would eventually kill him, so that he could join her.”

 _A suicide mission_. It was almost like Dracula’s plan. Alucard swallows, drawing himself closer to the Belmont male, standing next to him against the bookcase.

“Did he… get better?”

“Yeah, he did.” Richter nods his head, a small yet still sad smile on his face. “It took a lot of pep talk from his two childhood friends and from me. There was still a lot of work to be done here. He had to be there for the people of Wallachia… and for me. It’s what mother would have wanted. He did his best to move on. I think there’ll always be times where he feels grief and frustrated over what happened, but he’s doing better than before.”

Alucard thinks over Richter’s words. It’s not the easiest thing to speak of, he knows that well and he feels a slight kinship with Richter because of how similar the situation is, but… he feels glad that the hunter trusted him enough to reveal this to him. Perhaps, one day, he can return the gesture.

Maybe one day.

“It’s a surprise both you and him could still continue onwards.” Alucard finally says. “Perhaps I only know the way my father dealt with loss.”

“There’s still good people in this world.” The hunter says, looking over at the dhampir with a small smile. “Even if people may hate us for what we do, there’s still innocent people out there that we should protect. Innocent lives should not have to be punished for the sins of one person.”

It’s familiar, Richter’s words. Alucard knows them well, for he had said something similar to his father. Alucard was grateful that he was indeed right; innocent and good people still exist in this world.

He’s glad they didn’t die out with Trevor and Sypha.

Gently, the dhampir closes his eyes, a soft smile gracing his features. “You’re a good man, Belmont.” He tells him, only opening his eyes when he feels the hunter’s hand on his shoulder. Richter returns the smile with one of his own.

“And you are too, Alucard.” He nods his head. “Don’t forget that.”

* * *

It’s not just studying they do, in the month that they have known each other. Sometimes, Richter helps Alucard with keeping the castle and the hold clean. Sometimes, they sit on the roof of the castle and talk. They get to know each other – Alucard hears of childhood stories from Richter about him, his family and his friends. Richter hears of the childhood stories of Alucard and his time spent in the castle, studying everything he needed to know and then some.

Alucard speaks the tales of Trevor and Sypha, though he keeps some memories of them to himself. It’s not that he doesn’t want Richter to know, but some memories… He’d just rather keep them hidden away, tucked underneath him as though he was burying seed in soil. He knows Richter would understand; he doesn’t ask too many questions about his ancestors, more curious about the man he sits with. It’s charming, the way his eyes seem to light up when the dhampir tells a story about himself. He seems _genuinely_ intrigued by his tales.

It’s enough to make Alucard feel both warm and nervous. He tries his best to ignore it. He _must_ ignore it.

The two do physical activity as well. Richter may have been an experienced hunter, but there was still more he could learn when it came to combat. Not too much, seeing as Richter is nothing short of an excellent fighter, but there still might be something that he had missed.

And he does find something that needs improvement on. Alucard finds that Richter’s reflexes could be a little slow. Because of that, he is now nursing a rather horrible gash that he gave Richter on his arm, in what used to be the infirmary room that his mother spent most of her time in.

“I’m sorry,” Alucard apologizes as he cleans the wound. “I hadn’t meant to--”

“Hey, it’s fine.” The hunter waves him off. “It’s mostly my fault for being slow.”

“ _Mostly_ your fault?”

“Well,” starts Richter with a scratch at his cheek, “alright, if I _had_ to be honest, you _were_ really adamant about landing a hit on me, so I guess it’s your fault too.”

The dhampir chuckles gently, cleaning the blood from the wound with a damp cloth before reaching for a small bottle - his mother had said the cream inside would help make the skin a little less irritated. She left the recipe for him, just in case.

A sad smile crosses Alucard’s features. There was so much his mother could have done, so much healing she could have done. If only the people weren’t so afraid and barred from the knowledge they deserved to know.

Gently, Alucard applied the cream to Richter’s skin. The hunter flinches a little at the contact of the cool cream onto his warm skin.

“Cold!” Richter shrieks a little.

“It’s supposed to prevent scarring, and to reduce inflammation of the skin.” Alucard explains with an amused hum. “It’s cold for that reason.”

“Huh,” Richter blinks and looks down at the cut. “This was a recipe by your mother, I take it?”

“Yes,” answers Alucard as he wraps a bandage around his arm. “My mother had left it for me. Most of her notes she had in her home had not survived, but the ones she had left here did.”

“Do you study them?” When Alucard looks up at him without a word, Richter elaborates. “I mean, study them so you can become a doctor like her.”

“... The thought has crossed my mind once or twice.” The blonde admits as his hand lays against Richter’s arm. “Being able to continue on her work, to do things she didn’t get to do.”

“But?”

“But what?”

“There’s a reason you don’t.”

Alucard says nothing at first. He hopes that maybe if he doesn’t, Richter will leave it alone. But the gaze that Richter gives him practically burns in his flesh, and finally does he sigh and look back up at him.

“My existence is an abnormality. A curse, if you will. I have no place here.” He explains, gold hues peering into blue ones. “I had planned to simply go back to sleep, but Trevor and Sypha made me promise not to do such a thing. I am not one to break a promise, especially with the two people who helped me defeat my father. But, I choose to stay here, away from the people. That is why I have not become a doctor.”

The way he ends his sentence means that it was final. He had no intentions of continuing it. Unfortunately, Belmonts are too stubborn at times.

“Your existence isn’t a curse, Alucard.”

“... Excuse me?”

“Your existence isn’t a curse,” repeats Richter, his hand traveling to rest on Alucard’s knee. “You saved the world, saved humanity with your own hands, and you’re giving me the time of day when you could have easily told me to go away. You’re a good man, like I said. I’m happy you’re in this world.”

_I’m happy you’re in this world._

Alucard feels his heart stop at that. All he can do is look up at Richter with a surprised look on his face. The warm look on Richter’s face when he said that is engraved in his mind now. All the warm looks he gave him were. He had _no_ reason to be kind to Alucard, aside from the fact that he knew his family.

And yet, those warm looks give Alucard life. It gives him a reason to get up in the day. He enjoys his time with Richter and it scares him.

He told himself he wouldn’t get attached. Not after getting attached to Trevor and Sypha. Human life was so fragile. It was too fragile.

He couldn’t do this.

“I…” Alucard swallows and takes his hand off Richter’s arm, standing up from the seat he was in.

“Alucard?”

“I’m sorry.”

And with that, Alucard quickly strode out, ignoring Richter’s calls for him.

* * *

Alucard goes back to lingering.

Richter tries to approach him, but the dhampir always moves away before the hunter could even get a word out. For a few days, the castle and the Belmont Hold are both quiet, quiet as though ghosts roam among the castle.

And they do.

He sees ghosts among the empty castle halls. He sees the ghost of a broken man, roaming around and trying to find his place - a place in a time where he has lost both his wife and son, one to the madness of the people and one to the madness of his actions. He sees the ghost of a woman playing tag and hide ‘n seek with her giggling and happy little boy, a boy who deserved so much more than the empty life that was before him.

If only Alucard could apologize to him. If only Alucard could apologize to all three of them.

The silent treatment ends on the seventh day, where Richter blocks him from stepping away from him when he approaches. The dhampir finds himself trapped between Richter’s extended arms, as deep ocean blue eyes gaze into sunny gold ones. His brow is furrowed and there’s a frown on his face.

“We need to talk.”

“People do need to talk in order to get things that they want, Belmont.”

“No, I mean--” Richter sighs. “What the _hell_ happened back into the infirmary? Why are you avoiding me?”

“It’s none of your concern.” Alucard curtly answers, trying to move away from him. But Belmonts are stubborn, and Richter does not let up so easily.

“It _is_ my concern!” He yells, before his expression morphs into one of sadness, almost a look a kicked puppy would give. “Did I… do something wrong? Did I step over a boundary or something? Did I mess things up between us?”

For a moment, Alucard looks at Richter in shock. Did he really think it was him who messed things up, and not Alucard himself? The dhampir lets out a small sigh and shakes his head at him.

“No,” answers Alucard as he looks away from him. “You didn’t do anything, Richter. The problem lies with me.”

“With you?” His inquiry is met with silence, so Richter pushes it. “Alucard, you can trust me. It’s fine to tell me what it is. Did I say something stupid? I mean, I’m not exactly the smartest person out there but--”

“I have grown attached to you.”

It’s silent between them. Alucard dares not to look at Richter, for he fears what his reaction could be. He isn’t worried about the fact that they are both men; what worries him the most is the fact that Alucard is part monster. The Belmont family hunts his kind. A Belmont should not fall for something like him. Alucard feels his blood run cold as Richter lifts a hand. He expects to be slapped or hit.

But the touch on his cheek is gentle. Richter moves Alucard’s head so that he can look at him. The smile on his face is warm.

“That’s it?” Richter chuckles a little. “You almost gave me a heart attack.”

“Belmont, I mean I have… grown _attached_ to you.”

“Alucard, I know _exactly_ what you mean when you say that.” There’s red on Richter’s cheeks, as he scratches it with his finger and offers Alucard a sheepish smile. “I… I’m pretty sure I feel the same way towards you.”

The shocked look is right back on Alucard’s features. “What?”

“Yeah,” nods the hunter as he moves away from the dhampir, to give him some room. “I… really like being with you. Talking to you, doing things with you. I never really opened up about my mother, but… I don’t know, with you it’s just a lot easier to do. I don’t think it’s because you understand me. Your presence is… comforting? I guess?”

Richter looks back at Alucard when he says nothing, his gazing casting downwards. “Sorry, I’m not making any sense. What I’m trying to say is, I’ve grown attached to you. I like being with you. _I like you_ , Alucard.”

“I…” Alucard swallows, trying to find the words to say. What tumbles out of his mouth is less than graceful and straight to the point. “Belmont, I will outlive you.”

It’s a fear he has. It’s the same reason he shut himself away from Trevor and Sypha.

“Stop thinking about the distant future, Alucard.” The hunter says firmly, looking back at the man before him. “I don’t care what you are - man, vampire, a mug full of piss - I care about you. Yeah, you’re going to outlive me. Trust me, I thought about it. I know it won’t be the easiest life before us, but…”

Richter takes Alucard’s hand in his. “I’m attached to you, and you can’t shake me off that easily. I want to focus on what we have now. We can worry about the future later.”

Alucard says nothing at first. Truthfully, he can’t take his mind off the fact that Richter will die one day, and Alucard will be left here alone. But, Trevor told him not to think of the distant future. He said he needed to live in the now, and not the then. And, to be honest, he _really_ is tired of being lonely. He’s grown tired and exhausted of it.

If he can at least have some years with Richter, then maybe he’ll be OK.

Shakily, Alucard draws himself near Richter, fingers gripping at the front of his shirt.

“OK,” breathes Alucard. “OK.”

Strong arms wrap around his smaller frame and for the first time, in such a long time, Alucard feels safe and warm.

* * *

“Belmont.”

“ _Richter_.”

“Yes,” breathes Alucard, “Richter.”

The first thing they agree to do with this newfound relationship is for Alucard to stop calling Richter by his last name. It’s been a process but slowly. Alucard has learned the name on his tongue. Not only that, but Richter had started to call Alucard by _‘Adrian’_. It had slipped out, on accident, because Alucard had almost fallen off the stepladder he had, and it had frightened the hunter. Richter’s entire face had switched between red out of embarrassment and pale from fear that he did something wrong. In the end, however, Alucard granted him the permission to call him by his true name, if they were alone.

The two sit beside each other now, flipping through the books as if Alucard’s silent treatment had never happened. Though, now, there’s a new sense of… _closeness_. Closeness between the two men. Sometimes, Richter will wrap an arm around Alucard and simply hold him close to him, as if he’s afraid that the man will leave.

“I believe we are near the end of your studies.” Alucard says curtly.

“Oh, right.”

It had been almost two months now since Richter had come to the castle and the Belmont Hold. Surprisingly, they had gone through most of the things Richter wanted to learn, though it helped that Sypha had left some notes behind that made it, so they didn’t have to flip through 12 books to translate one sentence. Richter says he could feel his magical ability grow stronger, so all in all - everything has been successful.

“I’m sure there’s something else we can do,” says Richter as he flips through a book he’s picked up. “I mean, you can never be so sure--”

“Richter, you do not want to leave - is that it?”

“... Yeah.”

Alucard tries to hide the smile on his face behind a book. The way that Richter looks is a little amusing. He seems to forget that he’s welcomed in the castle any time, especially now that their relationship has changed.

“Do you really think I’m just going to kick you out?” A chuckle leaves his lips and betrays him. “I may have been cold upon first meeting, but you do know I am not a cruel man.”

“You could have kicked me out!” The hunter throws his hands in the air. “I mean, I know you wouldn’t, but it’s not like I can ask, _‘Hey, Adrian, can I possibly stay here for weeks on end where we do nothing but enjoy the company of each other’_!”

“You just did.” The dhampir pointed out. “Belmonts are easily forgettable, aren’t they?”

“Oh, so _now_ you’re being a wise guy, huh?” At that, Alucard can’t help but give Richter the finger with a smirk. “Hey! What the hell, Alucard?!”

“I apologize, I couldn’t resist.” Before Alucard can say anything else, Richter wraps his arms around his waist and pulls him into his lap. The dhampir’s legs dangle off the side of the hunter’s crossed legs and he dares not to move. He had learned quite quickly that Richter was affectionate, a little bit too much sometimes. He was wrong about his initial thoughts on him; he and Trevor could not be any more different.

“You’re an ass at times.”

“You’re not the only one with that opinion.”

“Yeah,” hums the hunter, “but I guess I can let it slide, since you’re my favorite.”

Alucard lets out an amused hum once more, leaning into Richter’s touch. He’s not good with words, he never was, but at the very least he could respond with action. Richter seems to understand, as he holds onto him a little tighter, like he could convey all his love in a single hug.

“Being like this is nice. Being here is nice.” Richter mumbles as he buries his face in the crook of the blonde’s neck. “Maybe it’s time I moved out of father’s home, anyway.”

Alucard hums thoughtfully. The other man’s body is warm, a little bigger than his in size, though not height. Richter’s strong arms make him feel safe.

“My home is your home, Richter. It always will be.”

The castle feels less empty with him in it. He wonders if this is how his father felt, when he fell in love with his mother.

* * *

Alucard was never sure he knew what true fear was until Richter rushes in the castle with a look of fear on his face.

“Richter?” Alucard asks, doing his best to keep himself calm. “What’s wrong?”

“Do you know anyone by the name of Shaft?” The question is disheveled, out of breath.

The dhampir grips the book in his hands. _That’s_ a name he hadn’t heard of in years. In his childhood, there had always been a strange man lingering around, a follower of Dracula. He had called himself a priest, but even little Adrian could feel something was off about him. Adrian had always hidden behind his mother whenever the man came to visit. He never seemed to fond of Lisa or Adrian - possibly because Lisa was a human and Adrian was a product of that. Maybe he believed they were dragging Dracula down, that they were starting to give him a good soul.

“He was a follower of my father,” mumbles Alucard. “Why do you ask?”

“He’s kidnapped several girls from the village,” explains Richter, looking at his hands. “I… I think he’s resurrected Dracula.”

The book drops from Alucard’s hands. It’s not surprising, there’s always someone who tries to resurrect Dracula - and sometimes they succeed in doing so. Alucard had never involved himself with fighting his father again after the first time. The image of his father had engraved itself into his mind, and he wasn’t sure if he could handle going through it again.

The Belmonts dealt with it. Trevor promised Alucard that, should Dracula ever come back, his family would be the ones to deal with it. Alucard didn’t need to fight anymore. Still, he felt like it was his responsibility to deal with his father.

“Let me go with you,” demands Alucard. “I can help you. I can--”

“No.”

“No?!”

“You heard me, Adrian.” Richter gently grabs Alucard’s shoulders and looks him in the eyes. “I know you want to help and I’m grateful for that, but I need to do this on my own. I must prove myself and honor the Belmont name. I have to--”

“You’ll get yourself killed!”

“I’m stronger than you think, Adrian! You helped me train for this! I thought you of all people would understand!”

The two look at each other silently. Richter’s hands move from Alucard’s shoulders as he looks down at his feet. “I… I didn’t mean to yell. I know what you went through when you fought him before. I don’t want you to get hurt. But also, I just… I must do this myself. They took a friend of mine. I must go save her. It’s personal.”

 _It’s personal for me too_ , Alucard thinks. He wants to argue more, but he finds himself unable to. He knows Richter is right. This is the Belmont duty, in the end. Alucard has promised that he would not interfere, unless he absolutely needs to.

If a Belmont is not present, then he will kill his father.

“Follow me,” orders the dhampir. The two quickly descend to the Belmont hold, towards the chest that laid in the back of the room, the one that Richter had always eyed whenever he passed it. The vampire hunter walks up to it and kneels in front of it and after fighting with the lock mechanics, he throws the hood of the chest back.

Inside of it laid a chain whip.

“The Morning Star.”

“Trevor and Simon Belmont had used it before,” whispers Alucard. “They both had brought it back here, so that others after them may use it. It’s time for you the wield it.”

Carefully, Richter takes it out of its case and holds it in his hands. Alucard sees how tense his body is. He’s afraid too. Both are. There’s a slim, yet still possible, chance Richter could not survive.

“Richter,” begins the dhampir as he places his hand over his. “You _will_ come back to me, or else I _will_ drag you out of that castle by your hair. You are _not_ dying in that place.”

The Belmont lets out a breath laugh at Alucard’s choice of words, his blue eyes gazing into Alucard’s own. “I will, I promise.” He gazes into his eyes for a moment longer before looking away. “Sorry, I just… really like staring at you.”

“I thought my gaze was creeping you out, Belmont.” Alucard chuckles before he shakes his head and releases his hold on him.

He doesn’t want to, but he must let him go.

“We can continue this later. You have a job to do.”

* * *

Alucard watches as Richter steps out of the castle. The evening sky has begun to descend upon them and the hunter needed to leave right now. Of course, he couldn’t leave without doing something dramatic - he ripped his sleeves off and tied a white headband to bring his hair out of his eyes.

( “Was that _really_ necessary?” Alucard chips in afterwards. He only receives a grin from the hunter, and the dhampir can’t hide the smile from his face. )

“You should head out now.”

“In a minute,” says Richter as he looks towards the sunset. “I want to try something.”

Richter unravels the whip from his belt once more before whipping it through the air. At first, Alucard is unsure of what the Belmont is trying to do, but in a second, he sees sparks from the whip before it is engulfed into flames. As quick as they came, they extinguish quickly - the chain left unmarked. You wouldn’t even know it was in flames a few seconds ago.

“Sypha left something in her notes about Holy Flames,” explains Richter. “I’ve been practicing using the spell with the whip. Looks like the studying went somewhere.”

Alucard remembers. Sypha had talked about combining attacks once before, using her Holy Flame and the Morning Star as an example. Trevor had voiced his opinion of it being foolish but during one of their trips back to visit Alucard, Sypha had whispered that Trevor was snooping through her notes about it.

“She would be proud of you,” remarks Alucard with a smile.

“I hope so.” Richter smiles gently and nods his head as he wraps the whip back in its place on the loop of his belt. “I’m off now. Make sure you keep yourself safe as well.”

“I will.”

And with that, Richter jumps onto the driver’s seat of the carriage, whipping the reigns of the horses. Soon, they ride off into the sunset, and Alucard can only watch and hope that Richter stays safe. He is not a praying man, nor is he a religious man, but he prays for the safety of the Belmont.

He prays, and he hopes.

* * *

He’s restless all night.

He wonders about Richter. He worries about him. Of course, his worries lie elsewhere as well, during the long night. Some Hellbeasts had come to attack this place, easily defeated by Alucard, but they had suddenly stopped at least an hour ago. The appearance of them are curious; he wonders if his father is trying to drag him back to him.

He prays its Shaft’s doing, and not his father’s.

The dhampir stands in the main hall of the castle, just in case of another attack. The long sword is at his side, ready to be used. What comes next was something he isn’t expecting at all.

A dragon enters the castle, and Alucard’s hand hovers over the hilt of it. However, he stops himself from pulling it out when he sees a young, blonde-haired girl on top of it, struggling to pull something down.

It’s _Richter_ she’s pulling down, throwing his arm over her shoulder and dragging him towards the dhampir. She’s struggling from the weight of him, though she’s determined to get him to a safe place. Both are bloodied and bruised, more so Richter than the girl. Alucard doesn’t even react to the dragon disappearing right before his eyes.

His focus is on Richter.

He’s bloodied and bruised.

 _He’s barely moving_.

“Please!” The young girl wails to him. When he doesn’t respond, she wails louder. “You have to help Richter! He won’t make it if you don’t help him! _He’s going to die_!”

That breaks Alucard out of the trans he’s in and he quickly rushes to them and pulls Richter off her shoulder. He throws Richter’s shoulder over his arm, pulling him close so he can carry him.

“The infirmary is close,” says Alucard. “Follow me.”

 _Please_ , Alucard thinks as he and the young girl rush to the room with a barely alive Richter, _Please, stay alive_.

* * *

“He’s in stable condition.”

It’s a relief that they got there in time. It’s been an hour since they’ve returned and luckily, thanks to Alucard, Richter was in stable condition. Though, he should be thanking his mother for teaching him all these things. Without her genius work, he may have been lost. The wounds were all stitched and cleaned and all he had to worry about were a few broken bones.

The dhampir looks over to where the young girl had been sitting, half asleep in the chair. She was rather stubborn about going to rest; she wanted to make sure Richter was OK. When he knew Richter would be fine, he had patched her up.

“He is?” The girl smiles happily, bright enough to shine an entire room. “That’s great! Ugh, I’m gonna yell at him when he wakes up!”

Her name is Maria Renard. The Renard clan is a familiar name to him; they were distant relatives of the Belmont clan. However, that isn’t what he is focused on.

“Maria,” begins Alucard, “how old did you say you were again?”

“Oh! I’m twelve.”

( _“At what age were you on your own, Belmont?” Sypha asks._

 _“Oh, I don’t know…” Trevor tries to recount the years. “Twelve… thirteen, maybe?”_ )

“Twelve,” repeats the dhampir, “and you have tremendous power already.”

“Yeah, I don’t know what that’s about.” Maria jumps from her chair. “Can I go explore? I don’t wanna go back yet, not until Richter is awake. Waiting’s kinda boring, though.”

A tiny smile forms onto his face. Children were always so curious and bright, he can’t help but be a little affected by it. He remembers when he was a child, exactly like her. He had been bright and innocent, always wanting to explore around, wanting to play. He loved the room that his parents had made him.

If only he could go back to those times. Now, he can’t even go into the room they made for him. He’s a coward.

“Of course, Maria.” He nods his head. “But, remember to stay safe. I’ll be here checking over Richter if you need anything.”

With a quick thank you, the pink dressed girl rushes out of the room. He’s not too worried about her; a girl like her should be fine, if she survived the attack against Dracula. The dhampir’s smile fades away as he looks over at Richter’s sleeping form. He looks so peaceful like this, but at the same time, he can’t help but feel like he’s looking at a corpse. His hand goes to Richter’s cheek, gently touching it.

“Please,” he begs in a whisper, “please don’t leave me, too.”

* * *

Richter’s condition is a lot more stable than before and now, the hunter just needs some rest. He’s sure he’s going to wake up sore all over, so he needs as much sleep as he can get. He’s yet to wake up, but Alucard is positive that he’ll wake soon. As for the dhampir, he’s dragged out of the infirmary by Maria, who tells him that he needs a break and that he should explore with her.

So, Alucard does. A break may have been needed.

He shows her around the castle and she remarks with enthusiasm and many innocent questions. It’s hard not to smile and be soft with her; she really does remind him of himself at a young age. So young, innocent and naive…

As they walk down the halls, Maria’s movements suddenly stop.

“Maria?” The dhampir turns around once he takes note of that.

She’s in front of the door that leads to his childhood room. He can feel his blood stopping cold right there. The young girl turns to him, blinking and pointing at the door.

“What’s in here?”

Alucard swallows. A part of him wants to tell her it’s nothing and that they should move on, but his tongue betrays him. “... It’s my childhood room.”

“Woah, _really_?!” Maria turns back to it. “Oh, can we go in?! I wanna see if it’s like my room.”

“I don’t… think that’s a good idea.”

“Why?” Maria asks, tilting her head to the side before mischievously grinning and snickering. “You have something really embarrassing in there?”

“No,” huffs Alucard before looking back at the door. “It… has been years since I’ve been in this room.”

“Then why don’t you go in it with me?” When Alucard looks back at her, Maria smiles gently. “You won’t be alone in the room, so it should be fine, right?”

For a moment, Alucard considers her suggestion. Truly, it had been years since he’s last been in it. It’s fear that holds him back, but it’s also sadness. The events that took place in that room had engraved themselves in his mind. He doesn’t want to go in there.

But.

“... OK,” breathes Alucard. “OK.”

He knows he can’t run from the past forever.

* * *

“Wow, it’s pretty spacious for a childhood room! And it’s pretty clean despite it not being used for years.”

“Yes,” whispers Alucard as he looks around the room. Though Alucard had physically not been in the room, he summons familiars to do some cleaning for it. Everything has stayed the same in the last 300 years ago; the toys in the box, though slightly worn of colour, the books on the selves, the small bed he laid in when he was a child, and the portraits on the wall.

The portraits.

The one of him as a baby, his mother and father.

Maria’s eyes are captured onto it. She stares at it for a long time, silent, before she turns to the dhampir.

“Is that _you_ , Alucard?” She asks in a quiet voice.

“... Yes.” Alucard nods his head. “That is my mother, my father and I.”

“That’s… _Dracula_?” The young girl’s voice suddenly quiets, as though she’s discovered some terrible secret. “Dracula looks… _happy_.”

“He was,” explains the dhampir as he looks at the portrait himself. “He was happy, before he lost my mother.”

Indeed, the smile on Dracula’s face was a happy one, full of life and love for the two people he cherished the most.

The two people that made him feel like a man and not a monster.

_“Lisa,” his father chokes out a sob as he moves towards the portrait. “I’m killing our boy.”_

Alucard sucks a sharp breath in, his body stiff as he remembers. He remembers. He remembers too well, he wished he never remembered at all.

_“Your greatest gift to me. And I’m killing him.”_

But it’s not him that sobs first. It’s the little girl in front of him. She gently weeps, wiping the tears away from her face. It’s a shock to him; why is _she_ the one crying? Nothing bad had happened to her, so _why_?

“Maria?” Alucard kneels to the girl.

“I… I called him a bad man.” Maria chokes out between sobs. “I called him a bad man. He did bad things, yeah, but… he was just _sad_. He had a good family with him, and they took it away from him. They did bad things to your mama, too. They’re just as bad as him.”

Alucard stares at the weeping girl. He’s not sure what to say, what he can say to that. She seems distressed over her words, even though she’s not entirely wrong. It would be so easy to agree with her, but he knows he can’t.

He doesn’t; his father died a long time ago.

“Maria,” Alucard addresses her, placing a hand on her shoulder. “He did bad things, so… in a sense, he _is_ a bad man. He realized this, at the very end. My father… died with my mother. He died the day she died.”

_“I must already be dead.”_

“Still…I didn’t think he could feel sad. I didn’t think he could feel _anything_ at all. I was a big jerk.” Maria sniffles a little. “Do you… Do you miss him?”

 _Do you miss him_. It’s such a hard question, one that Alucard constantly fights with. There’s a side of him that says what he did was right, that Dracula had to die. That side is Alucard, the Sleeping Soldier, the one that saved humanity with a hunter and a scholar.

But Maria’s not asking _Alucard_ ; she is asking _Adrian_ , the boy who wanted his family back. The man who grieved with his father, but in the end - forgave all of humanity, for there are innocent people like Lisa Țepeș in the world.

“... Yes.” The dhampir answers. “I always will, despite everything. He is my father, the one who raised me with me mother and the one who cared and loved me. I love him. I love him and my mother. I...”

“Alucard, you’re crying…”

Alucard’s fingers gently touch his cheek. The tips of his gloved fingers are damp from the tears that stream down his gold eyes. Maria reaches up to gently wipe them away, before bringing the man into a hug. It’s the only way she knows how to deal with things. It’s an innocent and childlike gesture, and it only makes the dhampir sob more.

“It’s OK,” whispers the girl as she pats his back, “your mama and papa are in Heaven, like mine. They know you’re here with Richter and me. Everything’s going to be OK.”

The night is quiet, saved for the sobs of the dhampir and the comforting words of the young girl.

* * *

The two sit on the tiny bed next to each other. In Maria’s hands is the little dog plush that his mother had sewn for him and she is admiring the craftsmanship of it. The gesture makes Alucard smile, as he looks out the window and towards the moon.

The dhampir has come to terms with his grief. He cannot bring his parents back, he knows this, but he cannot grieve forever either. Moving on is hard, it will always hurt, but he needs to move forward, at the best he can do. He’s starting to have a new life now, one with someone he’s grown attached to.

“Ugh…”

 _Speaking of which_.

Alucard’s senses are so hypersensitive, he can hear Richter from the infirmary. He’s not sure if Richter is up, but the blonde-haired male quickly stands up.

“Richter, he’s making noise.”

“He’s awake?!” Maria quickly puts the plushed dog on the bed. “Then what are we waiting for?! Let’s go!” The girl grabs Alucard by the arm and drags him out of the room, running towards the infirmary. They get there, just as Richter stirs and tries to sit up. Quickly, Alucard moves to where he is.

“Richter, don’t move so quickly.” Alucard instructs as he places a hand on his chest and one on his back to help him. “How are you feeling?”

“Like a carriage ran me over. _Twice_.” The hunter mumbles as he leans on Alucard. He looks over at Maria. “Are Annette and the others OK?”

“Yeah,” Maria nods her head. “I made sure one of my beasts got them away from the castle before I found you fighting Dracula…” The young girl looks down, trying not to cry. “You scared me.”

“I’m sorry,” says Richter as he reaches up to pat her head. “I didn’t mean to. I'm glad you were around, though. If it wasn’t for you, I would have been in serious trouble.”

“You _were_ in serious trouble, _Belmont_.”

Richter looks up Alucard sheepishly. That tone of voice was one angry one he knew that. It was rare that Alucard ever got mad at him, but he’s pretty mad here. However, rather than a lecture, a few tear drops fell onto the hunter’s hand. His eyes widened, as he saw that the dhampir was crying.

“Alucard…?”

“I thought I lost you,” whispers Alucard. “When she carried you, bloodied and bruised, I… I assumed the worst.”

“Hey, it’s OK.” Richter wraps his arms around the male. “I’m alright now, I’m here. I’m not going anywhere.”

Alucard’s body shakes a little, but he eventually wraps his arms around the hunter in return. Maria watches them silently, a small smile on her face at the sight of it. Finally, Richter pulls away from Alucard, taking his hands in his.

“I did have a pretty weird dream.” He admits. “I think I was going towards a bright light. It was warm and comforting, but…”

Both Alucard and Maria say nothing, so Richter continues. “I was stopped. I think… I think it was Trevor and Sypha.”

“What?” Alucard’s fingers grip a little tighter and the fabric of Richter’s shirt.

“Really?!” Maria gasps out in surprise.

“Yeah,” nods Richter. “They stopped me. Trevor said I was a pissfaced idiot and that I needed to turn around and go back to you, otherwise you’ll be alone in that castle and bored to death. Sypha pretty much said the same thing, but in a nicer way.”

“They…” Richter swallows and looks towards Alucard. “They wanted me to tell you that they love you. That they care about you, and they always will even in death.”

“They said that…?” Maria hums a little. “Are you _sure_ you’re not just dizzy and seeing things from the medicine Alucard made you take, Richter?”

“I mean, it’s possible. What do you think, Alucard?” He looks over at him. “Alucard?”

Alucard falls silent as he takes it all in. He’s trying his best not to cry again. Because this would have been the third time he’s cried, so he opts for holding Richter close. He’s happy; he’s happy that they still care. Even if it wasn’t actually them and just a dream the hunter had, he knew in his heart that they really did care. He wished he hadn’t shut them out.

_“That should be the last of it,” says Trevor as he descends from his tiptoes after packing their things in the back of the carriage. To the left of him is Sypha with her arms around Alucard, giving him a quick hug._

_“We’ll be off then,” says Sypha with a small smile._

_“Again.” The dhampir quietly speaks._

_“Again.” Trevor interjects. “You know, we do have enough room for you. ‘S not like you’ll be a bother.”_

_It’s a tempting offer, he must admit, to travel around the world and hunt monsters. Monsters like him. It’s a nice offer, to be with the people he cares about the most and spending the days with him, but even if he is alone, he feels like it’s better this way - him alone in the castle, watching each generation pass by from his little window. Maybe he just doesn’t want to watch the two grow old, while he stays the same._

_But he dares not voice his true feelings._

_“I’m afraid I’ll have to decline; I’m certain I’ll just be a third wheel on your honeymoon.” Alucard chuckles._

_His words make the hunter and scholar blush incredibly so and Trevor coughs a little to hide his embarrassment. The three of them chuckle and giggle over it, but the good times come to a slow stop as Sypha looks towards the blonde-haired male, her brows furrowed and her lips in a thin line._

_“Alucard,” Sypha gently takes his hand in hers. “There is something Trevor and I want you to do for us.”_

_“Yes?”_

_“We want you to live as a man.”_

_Alucard falls silent. His hands squeeze her hands for a mere moment. “... I don’t understand what you mean.”_

_“Man, you’re really thick-headed, aren’t you?” Trevor starts to say. Sypha shoots him a look and he backs off slightly, at least with the insults. “What we mean is, we want you to keep living, even after we’re gone.”_

_“After you’re gone…”_

_“Yes!” Sypha smiles at him. “Find happiness. Alucard, you’re a wonderful man; the world deserves you, more than you think. You shouldn’t hide yourself away from it. The world really is changing out there.”_

_The dhampir looks away from the two, the words playing in his mind. Live as a man, what did that truly mean? Could he even do such a thing? He’s saw how jaded his father became; could he_ really _live years of watching people come and go, while he remains the same?_

_“If you’re worried about the future, knock it off.” Trevor huffs a little. “Just live in the moment, just worry about yourself now than you - I don’t know, 300 years from now. It’s not worth getting sick over. Promise, it’ll help with the wrinkles on your face.”_

_“You truly known nothing except for how to ruin the mood.” Alucard sighs, before falling silent once more. “... Alright. I will try.”_

_Try, for the two people he loved the most._

“Thank you, Richter.” Alucard whispers.

“You’re welcome, Adri--” Richter glances at Maria, remembering the girl was right there. “--Lucard. _Adrilucard_ , yeah.” The gold eyed male tugs at Richter’s cheek playfully, earning a yelp from the man and a giggle from Maria.

“Don’t call me that, ever again.” Alucard chuckles, before leaning in and kissing Richter’s forehead. “I’m happy you came back to me, even if you were half-dead.”

“Love makes people do questionable things,” says Richter as he pulls the dhampir in for a kiss.

* * *

The long night was finally coming to an end. The three walk towards the entrance of the castle, to watch the sun rising.

“Where will you go now, Maria?” Alucard asks the young girl. She turns towards him with a tilt of her head, a confused look on her face.

“Uh, _duh_? I’m living with you and Richter.”

“Living, with us?” The dhampir looks over at the hunter with a raised brow for an explanation. Richter sheepishly looks away and rubs the back of his head. Before he can say anything, however, Maria once chimes in with some interesting information.

“Oh, do you not know?” Maria giggles. “After Richter rescued me, I joined up with him to help him! He _wouldn’t_ stop talking about you. Said he wanted to go back to his home, grab more of his stuff, and move in with you!”

“Maria, be quiet!”

“What, were you _really_ not gonna tell him? Were you just gonna move in without saying anything? That’s _lame_ , Richter.” Before the hunter can say anything, the tiny girl skips down the steps, not waiting for the two men. She leaves them there, with their own thoughts.

“Man, she’s such a child.” Richter sighs out.

“Children are the future of society, Richter.” Alucard chuckles. “I’ve always been fond of children. Having her around the castle certainly won’t make things boring.”

“Mhmm.”

“I would not mind having my own children, one day.”

Richter chokes a little, scratching his cheek a little in embarrassment. The implications weren’t lost on him. The blue-eyed male mumbles a quick _‘OK’_ , looking away a little. The dhampir smiles fondly at him; he knows he’s like the same thing, he’s just in shock now. The smile fades as he looks onward.

“How did my father look?”

“... He’s seen better days.” Richter admits gently. “He was tired; I think he wants this to end as much as we do. Unfortunately, people really want him to continue his horrendous acts from the past.”

Alucard ponders this, before speaking. “As long as there is evil in the hearts of men, there will always be a dark lord.”

“But there’ll always be someone to stop it,” says Richter as he puts a hand on the blonde’s shoulder. “Good has to exist with evil, after all. You and the name you took on are proof of that.”

Alucard looks up at Richter. The opposite of Dracula. The reverse name he took on to show that he was nothing like his father. Not just in his sense of justice, but his actions too. He was the opposite of him, in every way. Gently, Alucard closes his eyes and finds himself able to smile.

“Thank you, Richter.”

Adrian would live as a man; the man that his father could not live as. For his father, for his mother, for his two companions who were long gone from this world.

And most of all, for himself. He needed to live, for he had an entire life waiting for him now, in the form of a blue-eyed hunter and a young huntress.

The two eventually join Maria at the entrance of the castle. Alucard stands in the middle of them. Maria reaches to grab a hold of his arm to hold it, while Richter’s fingers slip between the dhampir’s own. A gloved hand squeezes his bare hand, as the three look upon the sunrise. The night sky fades from their eyes, and what fills them next is sunlight. Richter and Maria smile, as a sigh of relief pass their lips. They survived the night and have lived to see the morning come.

Alucard finds himself truly smiling for once in years, as he looks ahead towards a bright future.

“The morning sun has vanquished the horrible night.”


End file.
